The topic of God’s sovereignty can stir many emotions. It comforts me to know God has supreme power over my enemies. It confuses me why He lets bad things happen to good people.
If God has the power to stop wrong, why doesn’t He? Why did He let your child get cancer or your spouse be unfaithful? Why does He let you waste time and money on a mystery illness when He can heal you?
A Giant Mystery
The Bible reveals divine sovereignty, human responsibility, and an earth under the curse of sin and the rule of Satan. As humans, we get headaches trying to tease these apart—or fit them together.
Our finite minds cannot grasp an infinite God or His ways any more than a child can understand the ocean by dipping a pale into it. Paul wrote, “Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!” (Rom. 11:33 NLT).
[bctt tweet=”Our finite minds cannot grasp an infinite God or His ways any more than a child can understand the ocean by dipping a pale into it. @DebbieWWilson #RechargeWednesday” username=”PatHolbrook”]
The Example of Joseph
Many aspects of a life don’t make sense in the middle of it. Take Old Testament Joseph for example. Genesis tells his story from a human perspective.
- Joseph’s jealous brothers sold him into slavery.
- His master’s wife falsely accused him of attempted rape.
- Potiphar threw Joseph into prison.
- Pharaoh’s dreams disturbed him.
- The wine taster remembered Joseph.
- Joseph interpreted Pharaoh’s dream.
- Pharaoh made Joseph second in command.
Whew! I’m glad God finally stepped in to stop Joseph’s string of bad luck. Or was it bad luck?
The Divine Perspective
Psalm 105:16-23 provides another perspective.
- God told Abraham his descendants would spend time in a foreign land.
- God sent the famine that drove Jacob and his sons into Egypt.
- God sent Joseph ahead of them to be there to rescue them when the famine came.
Joseph told his brothers that what they meant for evil, God meant for good. But—the story doesn’t end there.
[bctt tweet=”Joseph told his brothers that what they meant for evil, God meant for good. But—the story doesn’t end there. #Sovereignty, #RechargeWednesday” username=”PatHolbrook”]
When Joseph saved his brothers, he saved Judah and his son Perez. Through their line came Jesus, their Messiah. Joseph didn’t just save his ornery brothers, he saved his own savior!
God Is Bigger Than a Lifespan
No one can fully comprehend the purpose of suffering while on earth. But the Bible makes it clear that we can’t lose a hair on our head without God knowing it. If our sovereign Lord allows pain into our lives, we can trust He is using it for our eternal good.
When we arrive in heaven and see this life from God’s perspective, we won’t ball up our fists and say, “I knew you messed up with my life.” We’ll worship, “How did You do that? This is so much better than I could have imagined.”
By faith let’s worship now. And when life gets confusing, let’s remember our stories are a small part of His-story. God’s story is bigger than your lifespan.
[bctt tweet=”God’s story is bigger than your lifespan. @debbieWwilson #RechargeWednesday” username=”PatHolbrook”]
And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory” (Romans 8:28-30 NLT).
God’s sovereignty assures us, that no matter what we endure here, a “happily ever after” awaits us.
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Our church is reading through and discussing Isaiah together. It has reminded me that one of the many benefits of reading the Bible is seeing God’s hand at work through circumstances and history, bringing everything together to accomplish His purposes, as in Joseph’s life. That gives us the confidence that He’s doing the same in our lives, though we don’t understand how now.
Barbara, you’re right. Even most novels don’t make sense until the end. God’s story is still going.
Debbie,
I know I’m guilty of trying to pin God down so that I can understand Him, but that would not be allowing for the great Mystery that is God. All I know is that God is good, and nothing can thwart His sovereign will. I have to wait until the other side of Heaven to get clear answers. Meanwhile, I am writing today on the topic that there is more than just this life…a common theme. Often our prayers are ones that may not be answered in this lifetime. Great post!
Blessings,
Bev xx
Bev, I like how you put “allowing for the great Mystery that is God.” If our human minds could understand Him He wouldn’t be God. I’ll look forward to seeing your blog.
Trusting in God’s sovereignty is something I didn’t understand for a long time. Once we do start trusting that there is so much more to our circumstances than what we can see, it allows for peace to settle in my heart! Love this post!
April, I find great comfort in knowing that though I can’t understand I know I’m in good hands. Thanks.
God’s big picture view of the universe and of time certainly makes him trustworthy in his sovereignty. I’m grateful that he is good and just and righteous in all that he decrees.
Me too, Michele. If He lacked one of those, we’d have reason to be concerned. But He is all of that and so much more.
I sometimes wish I had God’s perspective on things (although I know I couldn’t handle it!) Knowing He uses every single thing helps!
Rebecca, I like to understand why things happen. But I’m struck that with Job God never explained the back story of what was going on with Satan. He gave Job a glimpse of Himself, and it was enough.
Debbie, I used to question God with “why?” but have made great strides in understaning His character at least a tiny bit. And others have asked me to explain hard things to them, and even at a recent women’s Bible study this topic came up. I always point to the fact that God is sovereign, He gave us free will, and evil reigns on earth for now. So the way you summarized it in this one sentence is wonderful: “The Bible reveals divine sovereignty, human responsibility, and an earth under the curse of sin and the rule of Satan. ”
Thank you!
Karen, That is wonderful you women are digging deep. It really does boil down to trusting God’s character doesns’t it? Walking by faith is unnatural, scary, and exciting depending on where we are in our story. Without an eternal perspective, God’s ways don’t make sense. But He is eternal and sees the whole picture. May we draw on His grace and trust Him when the way is dark.
For some reason I need to be reminded often of how big my God is. Thank you. laurensparks.net
Lauren, I think we all do. 🙂
I agree, he is sovereign and we live in a fallen world but Jesus took back that authority and gives us weapons to use. I have found out He sometimes works on a need to know basis, we can’t comprehend the depth He does.
Well said, Rebecca. There are some things we couldn’t understand if He told us.
“By faith let’s worship now. ” This is always the best attitude, regardless of the circumstances! Thanks, Debbie.
God keeps reminding me of that. Thanks, Lisa.
“By faith lets worship now!” Amen, Debbie.
Yes, Bethany! Always.